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N" Mml') R, L A? 11E R T 2 She-ill' Centrifugal Machine.

No.235,638. Patented Dec. 21.1880.

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R. LAPEBRTY. Centrifugal Mashirle..l i No. 235,638. Patented Dec.2I,I*880.v

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ROBERT LAFFERTY, OF GLOUCESTER CITY, NEW JERSEY.

CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,638, dated December21, 1880.

Application tiled March 18, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT LAFFERTY, ot Gloucester City, in the countyof Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Centrifugal Machines, of which improvements thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to machines ot the class in which the separation otcommingled liquids and solids, or the drying or draining of wet materialof various descriptions, is effected by the action of centrifugal forcegenerated by the rapid rotation of a vessel in which the matters to betreated are contained. In the use of machines for this purpose asheretofore constructed, so far as my knowledge and information extend,frequent stoppages are necessary to admit of the vremoval of the driedmaterial and the insertion of fresh charges. The loss of time therebyinvolved materially7 reduces the efficiency of the apparatus incorrespondingly diminishing the amount of its daily product, and theattention and labor of an operatoris, moreover, required for chargingand discharging'.

The object of my invention is to provide a centrifugal machine in whichthe separation of liquid from solid matters may beeffected continuously,and the necessity of stoppages during its operation avoided by theprovision of simple and effective means for maintaining a continuousfeed of the material to be treated and a continuous discharge of theseparated liquid and solid constituents thereof.

To this end my improvements consist in the combination of a rotatingreceiving-vessel, a series of separating-vessels connected to andcommunicating therewith, and a fixed case having separate receptaclesand discharge# passages for the separate constituents of the charge.

My improvements further consist in the combination of a rotatingreceiving-vessel, a series of separating-vessels, and mechanism by whichmixed solid and liquid ingredients, fed continuously to thereceiving-vessel, are conducted continuously therefrom, exposed to theseparating action of centrifugal force, and continuously and separatelydelivered to separa-te receptacles in a fixed case.

The 'improvements claimed are hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical central sectionthrough a centrifugal machine embodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a planor top view of the same; Fig. 3, a longitudinal central section, on anenlarged scale, through a portion of one ot' the separating-vessels andits drivin g-gear and Fig. 4t, a transverse section, on a similar scale,through the same.

To carry out my invention, I provide a receiver, A, which has an openwidemouthed top, and is, except as presently to be described, entirelyclosed on its sides and bottom. The form shown in the drawings is aconvenient,

though. not an essential, one, as the receiver might, if desired, bemade cylindrical or of any other form in which all horizontal sectionsthrough its walls would present circles concentric with its axis. Thereceiver A is nrnzly xed upon the upper end of a vertical shaft, A',which passes centrally through the bottom of the receiver, and issecured thereto by a screw-thread and a nut, a. the shaft A bears on astep, c', and the shaft rotates within a lower bearin g, a2, fittedwithin a box, a8, secured to the legs or frame A2 of the machine, beingmaintained and guided in vertical posit-ion by a hollow shaft, B,through which it passes, said hollow shaft rotating within a'taperedgland or bushing, a3, t-ted in a bearing, a4, depending centrally from ahorizontal plate, a5, connecting the legs A2 at their upper ends.

A series of separating-vessels, C, each of which communicates at itsinner end with the receiver A, and near the bottom thereof, is attachedto said receiver, the several vessels being arranged radially to theaxis thereof, and, in rthis instance, in inclined position, parallel tothe conical periphery of its upper portion. The separating-vessels C arecylindrical metallic tubes, which at their inner' ends are mounted so asto rotate freely on tubular journals a, projecting from the lowerportion of the receiver A, and at their outer ends are similarly fittedin bearings al, depending from the periphery of the upper portion of thereceiver. The tubes C are perforated with a number of small openings, c,throughout that portion of their length which is between their endbearings, and each is, preferably, lined with a cylinder of wire gauzeor netting, c.

The lower end ot" roo A screw or spiral blade, G', of metal, is insertedand secured in each of the tubes G, forming a continuous spiral channel,open at both ends, along the same.

A driving-Inilley, A3, is secured upon the shaft A of the receiver A,the upper face ot' its hub forming a step or bearing for the hollowshaft B, upon the lower end of which are secured the cone-pulleys l). Abevel-gear, B', is formed upon or secured to the upper end of the shaftB, and meshes with a series of corresponding pinions, C2, each of whichis secured upon the inner end of one of the separating-vessels C. Avertical counter-shaft, D, is mounted in bearin gs d, secured to theframe A2 of the machine, and has secured upon it a driving-pulley, D',around which passes a belt, transmitting power from aprime mover.Rotation is imparted from the counter-shaft D to the receiver-shaft A'by a belt, D2, passing around a pulley, D3, on the counter-shaft andaround the pulleyT A3 on the shaft A', and the tubular shaft B isindependently rotated by a belt, D4, connecting the cone-pulleys l) ofthe shaft B with cone-pulleys D5 on the countershaft D.

By the above-described driving mechanism it will be observed that twoseparate movements ot' rotation are imparted to each of theseparating-vessels (l, one coiucidently with the receiver A, about theaxis of the latter, and another through the bevel-gears B' and C2, abogtits own axis, the ratio of the latter movennt to the former beingsusceptible of variation by changes of the position of the belt D4 onthe cone-pulleys b and D5.

The receiver A and its separating-vessels C are inclosed in a fixedouter case composedof an upper cylindrical receptacle,'E, into which theouter ends of the separating-vessels C project, and a similar lowerreceptacle, E', surrounding the perforated portions ofthe vessels C. Thelower receptacle, E', is closed at bottom by the plate c5, whichconnects the legs A2 of the machine, and is separated at top from thereceptacle Vlil by a flange, c. A discharge opening or nozzle, c', isformed in the lower portion of the receptacle E, and a discharge-nozzle,c2, is provided upon the lower receptacle, E'. A scraper may be employedfor the purpose of removing the separated solid material from the uppervreceptacle, E, by traversing the annular space in the receptacle Earound the flange c, and sweeping any material. lying within said spaceinto the discharge-nozzle c'.

In the operation of the machine, rotation having' been imparted to thecounter-shaft D,

- and thence to the receiver and separating-vessels G, the raw orundrained material 'is fed into the mouth of the receiver A, preferablyby a pipe or conduit having its opening above the center thereof, and,under the infiuence of the centrifugal. force developed by the rotationofthe receiver, is projected into the open innerk ends of theseparating-vessels C, and gradually propelled outward through the same.

The spiral blades G' interpose barriers to the direct passage of theundrained material to the open outer ends of the vessels C, and compelits traverse to be made through the spiral spaces formed in the tubes bythe convolutions of the blades C', and substantially over the entireperforated surfaces of the tubes, the only portions thereof which areintercepted being those covered by the narrow edges of the blades C',the length of such traverse being proportionate to the pitch of theblades, and its duration to the relative speeds of rotation ot' thereceiver and ofthe separating-vessels about their respective axes.

It will be obvious that by increasing or decreasing the rotative speedof the hollow shaft B and its attached bevel-gear B' relatively to thatof the shaft A' and receiver A the number of revolutions about their ownaxes made by the separating-vessels U during each revolution ofthereceiver will be increased; that the more nearly the rotative speeds ofthe shafts A and 'B approximate the less will be the number' of axialrevolutions ot' the separating-vessels G during each revolution of the yreceiver A, and that the direction of axial rotation of the vessels Gwill be changed according as the speed of the shaft B is greater or lessthan that of the shaft A. In the outward traverse of the material fed tothe receiver through the vessels O its liquid and solid constituents areseparated by centrifugal action, the former passing through theV wirenetting and perforations c into the receptacle E', and the latterpassing out of theopen ends of the vessels C into the receptacle E'.Moreover, the tendency of the solid portions of the charge to bank upand cake against the walls of the separating-vessels is effectuallyovercome by the constant changes in their positions, due to the axialrotation of the vessels, and the continual breaking up of the solidmasses greatly facilitates the complete extraction of liquid therefrom.

It will be further obvious that a continuous feed proportioned to thecapacity of the vessels G may be maintained and a correspondingcontinuous discharge of the separated ingredients effected, andtherefore that no stoppage ofthe machine for the purpose of supply ordischarge is requisite.

The machine being adapted to the treatment of various materials, as, forexample, concentrated cane-juice, beet-root pulp, wet grain, &c., theaxial speed of the sel'iarat-ing-vessels and the ineness of theirperforations will vary with the character of the material acted on, andare matters within and to be decided by the ordinary skill of thosefamiliar with the construction of centrifugal machines.

I am aware that the employment, in a centrifugal machine, of a series ofvessels projecting circumferentially from a central drum or cylinder,and having movements of rotation IOC IIO

about their own axes as well as around the for molding sugar into loaveswhich is described in English Letters Patent No. 13,490, granted toAlexander Alliott, February 3, 1851, and shown in Fig. 8 of the drawingsthereof. I do not, therefore, broadly claim separating-vessels havingtwo movements of rotation, either separately or in combination with acentral receiving-vessel.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Thecombination, in a centrifugal inachine, of an imperforate walledreceivingvessel, a series of perforated separating-vessels connected toand communicating therewith, and a fixed inclosingcase having separatereceptacles into which the solid and liquid ingredients supplied to thereceiving-vessel are separately and continuously discharged by theseparating-vessels, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a centrifugal machine, of an imperforate Walledreceivingwessel, a series of perforated separating-vessels connected toand communicating therewith, each capable of rotation around its ownaxis as well as around the axis of the receiving- "essel, and a seriesof detlecting and conducting blades or plates, each located within oneof the separating-vessels, whereby materials supplied to thereceiving-vessel are caused to pass entirely over the perforatedsurfaces of the segarating-vessels, these members being combined forjoint operation, substantially as and for the purposes'set forth.

3. The combination, in a centrifugal machine, of an open-mouthedreceiving-vessel having closed sides and bottom, a central drivingshaftupon which said receiving-vessel is secured and with which it rotates, aseries of perforated separating-vessels, each mounted in bearings onsaid receiving-vessel radially to the axis thereof and having aninternal spiral blade, a tubular shaft inclosing the driving-shaft ofthe receiving-vessel, and gearing through which the separating-vesselsare rotated about their own axes by the tubular shaft during theirrotation about the axis of the receiving-vessel, substantially as setforth.

4. The combination, in a centrifugal machine, ot' a rotating imperforatewalled receivin g-vessel, a perforated separating-vessel connected toand communicating therewith, and a screw or spiral blade secured withinsaid separating-vessel, substantially as set forth.

ROBERT LAFFERTY.

